My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phils have just traded Shane Victorino (Dodgers) and Hunter Pence (Giants), in exchange for Josh Lindblom, Nate Schierholtz and three prospects.

The Phils have earlier this afternoon announced that they have traded Shane Victorino to the Dodgers in exchange for relief pitch Josh Lindblom and one prospect, and Hunter Pence to the Giants for outfielder Nate Schierholtz and two prospects, before announcing that they had called up Dom Brown from Lehigh Valley.

Shane Victorino, who had been with the Phils since 2005, which would include him being a member of the 2008 World Championship team, as well as spending part of 2003 playing for the Padres, had played in 1023 games, compiling a career batting average of .277 (1009 for 3644), while collecting 183 doubles, 63 triples and 88 home runs, along with 394 RBIs, 316 walks and 186 stolen bases, while crossing the plate a total of 590 times. He also has a career slugging percentage of .434 and an OBP of .342. This season, Victorino, before the trade, had played in 101 games, compiling a .261 batting average (101 for 387) including 17 doubles, 5 triples and nine home runs, the latest of which occurred this past Sunday against the Braves, as well as knocking in 40 RBIs, while walking 36 times and stealing 24 bases, while being caught only 4 times. He also crossed the plate 46 times. For Victorino, the Phils will be getting relief pitcher Josh Lindblom, who had pitched for the Dodgers during the last two seasons, including this year, appearing in a total of 75 games, compiling a record of 3-2 with a 2.91 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18, as he pitched in 77.1 innings, giving up 25 runs on 63 hits and 28 walks, while striking out a total of 71 batters. This year, his record is 2-2 with a 3.02 ERA, as he had appeared in 48 games, throwing 47.2 innings, giving up 16 runs on 42 hits and 18 walks, while striking out 43. The Phils will also receive minor league pitching prospect Ethan Martin, who was pitching for AA Chattanooga in the Southern League before the trade.

After trading Victorino, the Phils then sent Hunter Pence, who they had gotten last year in a trade with the Astros for four prospects, to the Giants for outfielder Nate Schierholtz and two minor leaguers. Pence, who, until last year around this time, had played with the Astros, starting in 2007. Careerwise, Pence had batted .290 (943 for 3254), as he had appeared in 835 games, compiling a total of 172 doubles, 28 triples and 131 home runs, knocking in 471 runs, while scoring 447 times, as he had also complied 258 walks. For this season, he had appeared in 101 games, batting .271 (108 for 398), as he had 15 doubles, 2 triples and 17 home runs (at the time the Phils’ leader in that category), knocking in 59 RBIs, while crossing the plate 59 times. He also had 37 walks. In return for Pence, the Phils will get Nate Shierholtz, who had been playing for the Giants since 2007, as he had appeared in 503 games, with a .270 batting average (327 for 1209), collecting 72 doubles, 15 triples and 23 home runs, while knocking in 119 RBIs, while crossing the plate 145 times. He also has 80 walks. This season, Schierholtz has hit .257 (45 for 175), including 5 doubles, triples and home runs, while knocking in just 17 RBIs, while scoring only 15 times. He has walked just 18 times. The Phils also got from the Giants catching prospect Tommy Joseph, the Giants’ number 5 pick in the 2009 draft and pitching prospect right-hander Seth Rosin.

The Phils also announced that they will be calling up Dom Brown from the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, to take one of spots just opened up by the two trades.

I wished you luck Shane and Hunter, welcome to the club Josh and Nate, and welcome back Dom (you better have a good idea what is expected of you). Ruben, I really hope that you know what you’re doing trading tw0 of our three starting outfielders.

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